Author's Note: If you forgot, Shin Senjyo is Kumiko's handle name.

Oh, and do check out my new Durarara fic, Psychedelic Dreams =] There was some sort of anomaly when I updated that story, and it failed to appear on the Durarara fiction section orz but feel free to find it on my profile page =] It's sort of a story that branches off from Fairyride's background, but other than that, it has absolutely nothing to do with Fairyride. It is merely a…fangirling outlet….of sorts. With Shizuos. (Yes, with an 's').

Reason behind the title: Whilst typing this chapter up...I just met the most annoying troll ever on the face of the earth =_= totally killed my writing mood. FML

~Fairyride~

"Then the boy met her."

Hero by Supercell

"Hey, did you hear? Apparently that senior girl, Ishimaru Kumiko I think, is dating Heiwajima Shizuo!"

"What? No way! Her?"

"Hahahaha. Funniest joke of the day man. Hot as that sounds, she's underage."

"No, I'm serious. I saw them together the other day."

"You serious?"

"She was probably pissing her pants. She's a wuss, no offense to her."

"I still don't believe you."

"I'm telling the truth! I swear!"

"Isnt that Heiwajima Shizuo?"

"Yea….who is he with?"

"I have no idea…never seen her before."

"What do you mean you've never seen her before? I think this is like the third time I saw her with him this week."

"Maybe she's a whore dressed as a schoolgirl? Who knows what goes on in that monster's head."

"Heh, probably."

"I highly doubt that though."

"Since when were you his supporter?"

"I'm not! Still, better keep note of this. It's interesting."

Kanra: Did you hear? Apparently, Heiwajima Shizuo has been seen with a girl lately.

Kanra: It seems she's a Raira student, based on her uniform.

Tanaka Taro: Eh? Heiwajima Shizuo…isn't he that really scary person?

Setton: Hmm…really?

Kanra: I'm telling the truth! Rumor on the street is that she's his mistress and that he is a ephebophile!

Tanaka Taro: What's that?

Setton: I don't think Heiwajima is that kind of guy….

Kanra: Heeh~ How do you know? Is he your friend?

Kanra: Don't tell me… you're just like him?

Setton: Of course not!

Tanaka Taro: But who is this girl that was seen with him? Can you describe her?

Kanra: Oops~ I gotta go off now~ see ya!

Setton: He left…

Tanaka Taro: ….

"Damn that Heiwajima Shizuo!"

"You still angry over that day?"

"Of course I fucking am! He made a fool of us! And look! LOOK! He took out two of my teeth!"

"Suits you buddy."

"Fuck you."

"If you're that pissed, just get revenge or something."

"You kidding me? He'll just kick our ass again."

"Hmmm…get his girlfriend first then."

"What are you smoking you sagging bag of dick? He doesn't have a fucking girlfr-"

"Look, I don't know, okay? Your complaining is starting to piss me off, it's been weeks now. Just…go do something about it. Bitch."

"Fuck you."

Nakura: I heard recently that the man named Heiwajima Shizuo has been seen often with a girl from Raira. You know anything about that? It's quite interesting….Heiwajima Shizuo is very…explosive, isnt he?

Shin Senjyo: Really? I never heard of such a thing…

Shin Senjyo: Who is this girl?

Nakura: Saa…I'm not too sure myself. You go to Raira, don't you? Shouldn't you have heard of this?

Shin Senjyo: I haven't heard at all! But I'll definitely be on the lookout for this now. It's certainly interesting.

Shin Senjyo: I have to go now. I'll talk to you some other time.

Nakura: Bye-bye~

Shin Senjyo: Good night!

Kumiko kept her eyes fixed on the ground before her as she walked. Unconsciously, she began to gnaw on her lips, pulling them in with her teeth from nervousness.

She felt the eyes on her as she walked pass.

She heard the words in the hallways. She knew the rumors flying on the net.

About Heiwajima Shizuo and a certain girl from Raira.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that it meant her.

As of now, this bit of news is still simmering under the surface and not many in the school had heard of it yet. But it won't be long till the grapevine spread through the whole school, that's for sure.

She wouldn't be surprised it if spread all over Ikebukuro either, considering the infamy Shizuo possesses.

But the students of Raira that had already got wind of it… most of them didn't believe it. Really, who would believe that the hermit Ishimaru Kumiko is associated with one of the most notorious men in Ikebukuro? It was just laughable.

They all either brushed it off as some poor gimmick or confusion with some other woman.

So she had no fears of it spreading like wildfire…yet.

It was true though that she had been spending more time with Shizuo ever since their trip that went haywire. It was strange, almost like a miracle, how they suddenly developed a deeper connection. It made her really happy to see that Shizuo was slowly opening up to her and she to him in turn; it made her feel that perhaps a real friendship was in development, or perhaps it was already there.

But it also worried her with the amount of attention that she was garnering from it. She is aware that currently, not many have yet to identify this 'girl' as her. And the few that did were not believed. She did not look forward to the day when it is officially recognized that she and this 'girl' are one and the same.

It is but a mere rumor floating about the net, Dollars, and Raira right now- the unidentified girl that is quite possibly, maybe, perhaps Kumiko. Those in the school suspected her but could not believe it. Those outside the school still did not know what to make of it.

Truth be told, she never looked much beyond what befriending Shizuo entails. Now however, she is starting to think that it might not be a completely good thing.

Like right now.

The same group of delinquent from weeks before- when they bumped into her, harassed her for it and consequently got Shizuo on their tail - stood right outside the school gate, lounging and squatting about.

They sported the same tough-guy look only with several blue bits of skin that was starting to fade, and one had a noticeable gap between his teeth now- it all made them look less menacing and more ridiculous. But that didn't change the fact that they were still muscled men with mean looks directed at her at the moment.

"Isnt that her?...That's her alright!"

Oh…oh…this isn't good.

Kumiko froze on the spot, staring wide eyed at them. Cautiously, she looked around and see if perhaps, by some sheer miracle, they meant some other student and not her. It was a terrible thing to wish on someone else, since they don't seem all too happy.

Alas, luck was not on her side today, if ever.

"Bitch! We meant you so stop looking around like some fucking idiot!" One, assumed to be the leader, straightened up from his slouched position against the metal railing. He also happened to be the one with a gap of black in-between his teeth. Kumiko sucked her lips in, trying not to laugh.

But that soon fled her mind as safety took first priority in her mind. She didn't like the way they surrounded her outside the school gates.

Not that a girl being surrounded by a group of men was ever a good thing, most of the time. Life wasn't a reverse harem after all.

"W-What do y-you w-want…?" She stammered, eyes cast about warily as her grip tightened on her school bag.

"You're Heiwajima Shizuo's whore aren't you?"

…say what?

"W-what?" The alarm and surprise was evident in her voice. Kumiko's eyes became wide as saucers at the question. Her and Heiwajima Shizuo, an item?

Greatest joke of the year in any other situation.

"N-No, I'm n-not-!" She winced when one behind her gripped her shoulders tightly. That was sure to bruise.

"Don't lie you bitch! He helped you the other day and we've been seeing you with him!" He pushed harshly and she stumbled forward.

"I-I'm –not…"

The one with the gap in his teeth grabbed her wrist and pulled her up to his height, straining her arms at the tension. "Look at what that bastard did to me!" He pointed at his teeth.

'Don't laugh Kumiko, now is not the time…oooh, crap, crap, crap.'

She cringed when he glared at her with ferocious intensity. "He's has to fucking pay for this." He tightened his grip and tugged her arm upwards, jerking her entire body. "And you'll be the one bearing the bill, whore."

From the corner of her eye, she saw him take out a pocket knife. Immediately, she paled and her hands became clammy with cold sweat. This was not good.

Outside of the circle the delinquents made around her, she saw a couple of Raira students watching with alarm and worry.

But none of them moved for fear of their own safety. Her eyes pleaded desperately for anyone to help her, but they avoid looking at her. A few girls quickly retreated behind the school doors.

'Somebody….help me, please.'

She saw golden hair from within the school compound moving.

"Let's see how you like a new make-over!" He raised his arm.

"Kumiko-senpai!"

Her eyes screwed shut as the knife came towards her face.

But the pain did not come. Hesitantly, she peeled her eyes open to see another arm clothed in black grasping the wrist of her attacker.

"Bullying people isn't cool. And violence against girls is downright lame." A smirk graced her savior's face followed by a small chuckle that ran shivers down her spine.

Orihara Izaya.

Her would-be attacker wrenched his arm out of Izaya's who released him airily, the same grin stuck on his face.

"Shit-pole, stay out of business that isn't yours!"

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. Babysitter-chan here happens to be an acquaintance of mine and I have some business with her, so her business is entirely mine as well~"

"O-Oi, d-dont, t-that guy is-" Someone behind the so-called leader started to whisper but his 'leader' did not listen.

He raised his armed hand again, ready to strike. "Then you can die with her-" His words were cut short and attack promptly foiled when Izaya smoothly disarmed him with a quick lock onto his hand, taking his pocket knife for himself.

Izaya snickered and dropped the other man's knife onto the floor, before crushing it beneath his foot. A wince escaped Kumiko when she heard the sound of metal screeching against each other and when she caught sight of Izaya taking out his own flick blade.

"Your blade brand is so barbaric." Izaya commented, grinding the sole of his foot harder. His eyes trailed across his own blade, appraising it the way a samurai would appraise his sword before sharp eyes trained onto the disarmed delinquent who now only begun to see the danger he was messing with.

He gulped harshly. "Y-You…"

Suddenly, Izaya raised his arm in a slicing motion, missing the tip of the nose of the delinquent by a hair's breadth. The now shaken male yelped in surprise, jumping back in fear before turning tail and running.

With the leader down, the underdogs crumbled as well, rushing away from the school as quickly as possible.

"We'll r-remember this!" One soul brave enough called back before disappearing down the corner.

Izaya's shoulders shook as he chuckled, eyes closed in mirth at the pathetic way those male humans fled.

It was sadly amusing, really.

Taking in a deep breath to calm himself, Izaya looked over his shoulder. Kumiko stared back at him in confusion- grateful, but confused.

Sad little thing she was.

Shaking herself from her stupor and shock, Kumiko looked at Izaya questioningly. "W-What are you d-doing here, Orihara-san?"

"It's only polite to say thank you to someone who helped you first." His blade clicked shut and wary doe brown eyed followed the blade movement back into his hood pocket. Eyes that glowed crimson under the sun stared at her in amusement and condescension..

And suddenly…she felt safe.

"I…t-thank you." She bowed low. "T-Thank you so much." Kumiko gasped, finally realizing that she was safe with Izaya around. Her heart still raced and her anxiety would not stop.

But she was safe. They were gone.

She took in deep gulps of breath as she tried to regain that which was lost when the man held her at knife point. She had been so horrified at the suddenness of everything that she forgot to breath.

"Kumiko-senpai!"

At the familiar voice calling her, Kumiko turned to see Mikado, Kida and Anri approaching her hurriedly.

"Senpai! A-Are you alright…?" Mikado asked hesitantly, as if the senior girl would break down and cry in a moment's notice.

"Y-Yea…I'm fine. Orihara-san here h-helped me…" She turned towards said man who waved at the three.

"It's been awhile, Kida Masaomi, aircond-boy and bully-victim." Izaya said with a laugh.

Kumiko's brow quirked at the weird names he offered the latter two, but disregarded it when she remembered her own nickname of babysitter-chan. More importantly, she did not know that the three were acquainted with Izaya.

"Y-You know e-each other?" She asked, looking back and forth between them. She could not help but notice the tension that entered Kida's posture. Mikado did not seem to notice, although Anri shot Kida a quick glance.

"We're just acquaintances." Kida said shortly. "But why are you here, Izaya-san? It's rare for you to visit Ikebukuro, much less Raira."

In her mind, Kumiko wondered where Kida's cheer and smiles went. He is currently too calm and too for Kida Masaomi's standards. Did something happen between him and Izaya? He only acted this way whenever Izaya was involved…it was the same the last time Izaya came to Raira too.

"I came here to see babysitter-chan, actually. " Izaya said, turning a cunning glance onto Kumiko.

"E-Eh?" Kumiko gasped inwardly. Why would Izaya want to see her….again? The last time he saw her voluntarily, he took her for sushi….but the first time he did it, he placed a knife at her throat.

He might be more bipolar than Shizuo is.

Stuffing his hands into his hood pockets, Izaya smiled and flapped his arms out, tugging the hood along like poor imitation wings. "Saa, babysitter-chan, after you~"

Kida suddenly snapped out of his momentary stupor and intervened. "Why would you want to see Kumiko-senpai, Izaya-san? She's really nothing more than a friend of mine and quite the hermit!" He laughed a laugh that sounded fake even to Kumiko's untrained ears.

"That is for me to know Kida Masaomi-kun, and for you to…not know~" And with that, Izaya pushed Kumiko along whilst the three freshmen didn't really know what to think of the situation. Their senior was so quiet and introverted…why was she attacked and why did Izaya, of all people, arrive to her rescue?

"Ishimaru-senpai….is kinda different, somehow." Mikado mumbled distantly as she watched the two figures disappear down the corner. "Don't you guys think so?" He turned to his two friends. Anri did not say anything in reply but that was expected. However, neither did Kida who merely watched with a blank slate.

"Don't be so tense. You look like you're going to faint there." Izaya said with a shake of his head, amused condescension lining him. "I don't bite."

"S-Sorry…it's not y-you, Orihara-san." Kumiko sighed as she walked along the streets of Ikebukuro, keeping a cordial distance between her and Izaya. "T-this is j-just the way I am…"

"Heh~ it seems very annoying." A grin lit his face and Kumiko's shoulders slumped forward in resignation. No point being hurt by that comment….it was true after all.

Her footsteps was matched by Izaya's who had deliberately started copying her walking rhythm so that they stepped in tune to each other, as one single frontier. But that was far from being true, of course for there was still a huge rift of uncertainty emanating from Kumiko towards Izaya.

This suspicious perspective she had of Izaya had been influenced by many factors, the main ones being Kida's warning to stay away from Izaya and also because Izaya had consciously raised a weapon against her. But if she thought about it, Kida also warned her to stay away from Heiwajima Shizuo whose explosive nature was also as dangerous as Izaya's blade.

She was better off with neither of them, to be honest.

Neither had hurt her…yet, but they each have contributed to extending her life span a little longer.

With that in mind, Kumiko decided to amuse the man who had yet to breach the reason why he wanted to see her, by asking him straight out why he wanted to see her.

"Orihara-san…w-what is it that you wanted to s-see me for?" she asked, coming to a stop at the red light.

Izaya shrugged airily. "I can't visit my sisters' babysitter now? What is the world coming to~?"

"….I don't think you're v-very much interested in my b-babysitting…"

The light shifted to a green and they began walking with the crowd of people clustered around them, all eager to get to their destinations.

"No, I'm not." Izaya laughed and Kumiko could not help but wonder how this man works. Shizuo was a mystery with his bipolar nature but Izaya boasted a form of complexity that went beyond the realms of her comprehension.

It was annoying…but also oddly fascinating.

Izaya recognized the spark that glinted within Kumiko's stare which she tried terribly to maintain neutral. The spark that spoke of need for adventure.

It was curiosity.

And in all honesty, Izaya loved curiosity. Which is why he's an information broker.

And he too, was curious.

He stopped, prompting the girl to stop as well. She shot him a questioning glance.

Looking around, Izaya allowed a smirk to crawl onto his lips before he settled his gaze on the girl before him.

"Tell me, Kumiko-chan…"For reasons unknown to her, a shiver ran up Kumiko's spine from the way he spoke her name. This was the first time he ever used her name to address her.

"What do you feel about Shizu-chan?"

The question took her by surprise, yet she wasn't completely shocked either considering their nemesis status.

"S-Shizuo-san? W-Well-" she started but Izaya intervened with a dramatic faux sigh.

"You are even on first name basis. How about you call me Izaya-san?"He said with a snicker. But the girl took it as blasé as they came and thought the man meant it.

"If you i-insist…I-Izaya….-san." Kumiko tested the name on her tongue, finding it strange and foreign to be addressing this person before her with his given name.

Izaya was almost tempted to laugh at her and retract his statement just to see the forlorn look that will surely take over her face at being tricked with something that was supposed to be personal, but he decided against it. He will gain better results if he allowed her to continue like this.

All in the long-run.

"So? You haven't answered my question yet."

A small part of Kumiko's mind mused at the sudden drop in cheer and humor that frequently liberated his form but she doubt that it was important. He spoke almost like a normal person commenting on the weather now. Almost.

Still, she hardly knew him well enough to categorize what kind of person he is- and to be frank, she most likely never will.

There were too many complex folds in the multi-faceted personality of the one named Orihara Izaya.

"Shizuo-san is a r-really n-nice person…" Izaya watched as a blush crept up Kumiko's face and she ducked her head. It wasn't hard to guess what – or who would be the better word choice here- she was thinking about. "I d-don't understand why p-people think so b-badly of him-"

Izaya just had to snort and interrupt there. The disgust was creeping within him. He could not even imagine anything good about that barbarian.

"But that is all what you think about him. I asked you what you felt about him. There's a difference, babysitter-chan~"

"F-Feel?" She looked as if she was about to faint.

Izaya said nothing and waited for her to gather her words together, watching as she sputtered and tried to form a coherent answer. The cool surface of his flick blade eased over the skin of his palm as he fiddled with them in his pocket.

It was weird how quickly she became flustered at the simple clarification. She did not want to admit the heat that was permeating her cheeks and instead insistently believed that it was because of the sun.

Why is it that she suddenly could not speak straight? As in, really could not speak straight? Her words left her mouth not as words but as broken letters. Her hands felt clammy all of a sudden and it became even worst when she noticed the lift of Izaya's lips.

Her mind did not see pass the danger that mirth could possibly mean.

Overtime, she stopped flailing her words and paused, taking in soft breaths as she thought out her answer.

In his mind, Izaya pitied the girl for being so damn fucking honest. It was clear to him now that she was indeed an honest person. It evaded him at first, as she was full of contradictory feelings. But now as he watched her frantically try to give him a proper answer to his frankly random question, it was undeniable that she was honest. Honest to the point that she took his question seriously and is now pondering an equally serious answer.

She could have just said that she hated the man or something and be done with the trouble.

"I think…" she trailed off and Izaya watched as the thoughts ran across her head and her eyes.

Her sickly honey brown eyes.

"…Shizuo-san is a…wonderful person." A small and airy laugh flitted pass her lips.

How is it that a laugh, an expression of joy and cheer, could bring about such terrible emotions of dislike?

Izaya hated that laugh.

It was light and breezy; the sort of laugh which one shared on a summer day as a drop of melted ice-cream plopped onto your thighs.

The sort that spoke of nothing but sunshine and rainbows.

Izaya hated it.

Dropping a hand onto her head, Izaya leaned down towards her as he held her head in place, making sure she looked nowhere else but at him. His grip wasn't hard, just a light pressure. His action made it seem like he was addressing a child who was telling a lie and could not look at you in the eye and speak the truth.

But it was the complete opposite here. She was speaking the truth.

He had no doubt about it.

"That's great and all, babysitter-chan…but I asked what you felt about Shizu-chan. That was still what you thought of him~" His eyes closed with the smile that did not reach his eyes. But she could not see through the lids that veiled them.

"O-Oh, s-sorry...then-"

Izaya was no longer listening. Her previous words gave him all the answers he needed.

And without warning, Izaya stepped backward just as a signboard flew between them, roaring right pass the place where he was standing moments ago. Kumiko jumped backwards with a squeak of surprise, stumbling and falling against the metal railing that caught her weight.

"Ah, that was dangerous. You got me, Shizu-chan~" said Izaya smoothly but annoyance was evident on his face, as well as slight apprehension.

Said man was less than a couple of stores away, where an owner was bemoaning the loss of his sign. Shizuo was not wearing his customary shades, and his agitation was imprinted all over him. Anger roiled off him in waves and Izaya felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his temple, anticipating the physical exertion that was sure to come.

Here we go again.

"You almost got babysitter-chan there too, you know…" Izaya trailed off ominously and Shizuo's eyes briefly flickered over to where Kumiko was leaning by the rails. But his gaze did not stay, opting not to let the flea out of his sights instead.

"Tch. That signboard was meant for you only and would not have hit her even if it will hit her!" He growled and reached out for the next nearest object: a potted plant.

Awe invaded Kumiko at Shizuo's words. His logic…was beyond her understanding. Much like Izaya's.

As the plant was heaved into the air, leaves scattered and rained down in soft showers around Shizuo whose tensed figure gave a hard edge to the green petals around him. "I knew you were a scum Izaya, but I did not expect you to bully girls too."

Izaya had to laugh at that. And laughed really hard he did. Shizu-chan's way of thinking is so simple and linear. This was way more regal than a mere bullying act.

"Bully her? Bullying is not cool, Shizu-chan~" He threw an arm around Kumiko whose cry of surprise was muffled within the sleeves of his hood. "Me and babysitter-chan here are real close."

He watched with intrigue at the emotions that was stirred in Shizuo with his words and actions. Deciding to liven things up more and to test the limits, Izaya brought his head down closer to Kumiko.

"See Shizu-chan, I wasn't bullying Kumiko-chan at all because we're real good friends~" And with that, he planted a quick kiss on the side of Kumiko's face, right above her eye.

The effect on both Kumiko and Shizuo was instantaneous.

Kumiko flared a deep red and he felt her breath hitch as a gasp was taken in. Shizuo too, turned a shade of red only this was from deep vexation and anger.

The plant groaned underneath Shizuo's grip.

And then it went flying in the air.

Adrenaline rushed through his veins, and Izaya easily cart-wheeled over a concrete park fence before back flipping over one of the benches. Continuing his flight from his predator, Izaya dove around a corner and tried to lose his tail.

But he could hear Shizuo raging through the path Izaya left, and the distinct sound of wood breaking reached his ears. That must have been the bench.

"IZAYA!"

The rage ignited within Shizuo sent bouts of joy and thrill thrumming through his body. The barbarian was so easy to anger.

What was even more interesting was how livid Shizuo became upon his lips making contact with the girl. It had been meaningless and soulless on his part, just as a way to humiliate the girl even more and just to poke fun at Shizuo.

But their reactions went beyond his expectations.

He was surprised, but he wasn't surprised either. He had wanted this to happen, which was why he orchestrated those things between them- the motorcyclists, the baked confectioneries, Shinra's recipe and his 'misplaced' map, their time lost together in the forests….and Dollars.

All that he had been doing- all that he had been aiming for was to push them together, in the hopes that a friendship of sorts would bloom between the two.

And from babysitter-chan's response on what she thought of Shizuo- perhaps what she felt was the better term- he had gotten results that was beyond what he had expected. At least on her part.

There had been admiration in her voice when she spoke of Shizuo. And it was not the sort of admiration you might have for a sibling, a parent or even an idol.

Ahh, unpredictability; it was a blessing and a curse.

Izaya dodged, narrowly avoiding the pole that Shizuo threw. It stabbed right into the concrete floor like a katana slicing hay.

The curse would be Shizuo.

And the blessing….

He smirked and jumped, grabbing a hold of a window ledge before propelling himself upwards. Swiftly and without pause, Izaya made his way upwards, scaling the building walls like that man in that video game, Assassin's something. Caucasians and their creations were interesting indeed.

He could hear Shizuo just right below him, easily catching up with him. The days when Shizuo struggled to keep up were long gone and Izaya kinda wished they would come back. Years spent chasing him down has given Shizuo mastery over free running as well, and Izaya quite liked it when he was the only master and no one else.

But no matter. Once he got rid of Shizuo, a thorn in his side would be gone….forever.

As he raced across building tops, jumping from one to another, Izaya went through the list of possibilities stored in his head since he met Shizuo.

Celty is untouchable, for obvious reasons. And he still needed Shinra's help in things so antagonizing the doctor would be disadvantageous. And Celty's help was also indispensable.

His brother, Heiwajima Kasuka would be another perfect target. And though he'd rather not be associated with his sisters – by the Gods, he can't even stand to look at them- he still felt partly guilty for his influence on them: it was because of him that they turned into the abnormal weirdoes they are. So he supposed to ease his conscience a bit- he was still human, even if he mostly isn't- he could allow them the one joy that makes them happy. So that eliminated Heiwajima Kasuka off the list.

The next possible target is Tom-

The windows next to him shattered and Izaya was forced to move ahead faster, for Shizuo had caught up when Izaya let himself wander into his thoughts.

But regardless of the reason why Tom is an unavailable target, what is more important is that he now had a new tool to pit against Shizu-chan.

Babysitter-chan. Kumiko-chan. Ishimaru Kumiko.

Skidding to a stop, Izaya turned and flicked several blades towards Shizuo. One managed to slice open the man's bartender sleeves, but he dodged the rest of them in addition to catching one between his teeth.

…Uncivilized barbarian.

Panting, Izaya pulled out his favored flick blade and equipped himself with it. But fighting with Shizu-chan here and now wasn't what he intended; the flick blade was just a precautionary step in the case the protozoa decided to pull something unexpected.

Shizu-chan's destruction would come later.

Right now, he had to bide his time and temper the weapon that he will use against him.

It is unsteady and flimsy currently, but great potential is to be had if he continued fostering the relationship between the two- pushing them towards each other till they suffocated in the very air they breathe.

He had no hard feelings towards babysitter-chan. She just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people.

"Why are you getting so upset, Shizu-chan? Is it because I kissed Kumiko-chan~? It wasn't even really a kiss. It was just a-"

"Shut up. I just want to beat the hell out of you." A low and steady growl continuously rumbled from Shizuo who fixed an almost crazed glare on Izaya.

Izaya did not like being interrupted. He really, really hated this man.

"Ne, Shizu-chan, is she important to you?" It was absolutely riveting to watch Shizuo react to his words.

His body tensed and Izaya could see the muscles shifting underneath the crisp clothes he wore that were dirtied from the day's chase. Golden brown eyes narrowed and teeth were further bared. His fingers curled into fists and the bones cracked from the pressure.

As much as Izaya hated to admit it, Shizuo portrayed the figure of a lion.

But if Shizu-chan was the lion….then he was the eagle that struck from the skies.

Where the lion made its presence known before the hunt with its size and strength, the eagle struck in silence within the blinding light of the sun.

The only thing that gave the eagle away was its own large shadow casted by the sun. And even then, it will be too late for the prey.

"So she is important to you then~?" But Shizuo gave no reply.

"…" A frown overcame Izaya's lips, but it was quickly turned into a wry smile. "Sorry, Shizu-chan. I must have misunderstood then. She isn't important to you, is she?" Izaya taunted and begun taking slow steps to the side in a languid dance. "After all, she's nothing but a mere school girl."

Sharp brown eyes kept a lock on his movements.

"If you even touch her-"

"Ahh, but I kissed her just now, didn't I? My bad, Shizu-chan~"

"You blood-sucking leech-"

Izaya stopped in his steps.

"I wonder….how smoothly her blood will flow…." His eyes flashed a malicious crimson and his hands traced over the sharp edge of his blade with a lover's touch. "Wouldn't you like to know too, Shizu-chan?"

With a laugh, he danced away to avoid the metal pipe that Shizuo threw, having ripped it off from the nearby water tank. Water was now gushing out, cascading over their shoes and Izaya grimaced. He'll have Namie wash that later.

He looked back up at Shizuo who was now outraged beyond words.

Izaya's brow slanted down in thought and his mind calculated the possibilities.

…no, it was still too soon to tell. The barbarian would get angry over any threats that came from him anyway, so this one about babysitter-chan should be no different.

He should take things a little bit further for the ultimate effects.

With a foreboding grin, Izaya jumped onto the building ledge.

Knowing what he was about to do, Shizuo growled and dashed forward in an attempt to catch the infuriating flea.

But he was not fast enough for Izaya gave a short snicker, mumbled a few words, waved mockingly at him and then allowed himself to fall backwards.

Shizuo caught himself against the building edge, watching as Izaya freefell to the ground below from a height of twenty storey. Just meters away from splatting against the ground- Shizuo wished with all his might that the flea would like the bug he is- Izaya twisted his body and grabbed onto a bar that stuck out the side of the building, meant for hanging flags and banners. His momentum allowed him to flip himself up onto the bar before hopping the rest of the way down, disappearing into the alley across.

Fuck, he lost him again.

The concrete cracked underneath his grip as Shizuo recalled the words Izaya said before jumping from the building.

"Try not to get too close to her~"

What did he mean when he said that? Did it mean that she was working for him somehow?

…no. Kumiko was not that sort of person.

Then just what the hell did that fleabag mean?

"Damn it, IZAAAYAAA!" With a loud roar of frustration, Shizuo spun on his heels and quickly made his way to lower ground. He had to check on Kumiko.

Whatever the flea meant, nothing good ever comes of Izaya.

You guys made me a very happy authoress last chapter x3 the feedback was just amazing haha the number of reviews for last chapter tripled and more XD A happy authoress= moar stories….only this got delayed due to exams OTL

Please do keep reviewing when you can! As they say, Read & Review not Read & Run XD; * throws heart confetti*

AND on another note…I'm thinking of slowing down updates on this story a bit, till October at least. Because I will be moving to Japan in October for studies and will be staying/studying in Ikebukuro. So I thought I would be able to write better on the setting and its relations with the character then, as I will be living there myself ^_^ Of course, I might ignore that notion completely and update this anyways since it seems really popular..…thanks for the faves and alerts~! I'm always surprised to wake up every other day and find a new alert/fave XD Of course, if reviews continue to be amazing as they were last chapter, I will update this story as usual~ nyufufufu - bricked for being a review whore-

And someone asked in a review about the poll: Shizuo won the poll- that means in the long-term and end of this story (whenever/if we get there), Kumiko will be with Shizuo =D But the triangle with Izaya will still be there….but really, Izaya is totally incapable of loving people, me thinks. Well, I'll try my best with him anyways and not butcher him too much XD I mean, even someone like Izaya HAS to be able to open his heart somewhat…or maybe I'm just trying to look on the bright side of things too much x.x